Legal descriptions also can include background information and statement of purpose, detailed recital of the property description, and the qualifying clauses such as exclusions or inclusions of certain rights or areas.  A valid land description unambiguously identifies only one location on the ground, and describes boundaries accurately, briefly, clearly and completely.

Most descriptions use one or more of the three following methods:
1. Metes and bounds.
2. PLSS and aliquot parts.
3. Platting (lots and blocks).

Example of a metes and bounds land description:
Beginning at corner No. 1, a hemlock post, 4 in. square, 24 in. above ground, located on the Takotna Highway about ¼ mile southeasterly from its intersection with the left bank of Kuskokwim River and in approximate latitude 62° 52’ N., longitude 155° 40’ W.  Corner No. 2 of U.S. Survey 999 bears N. 26° 59’ W., 327.6 ft.
From corner No. 1, by metes and bounds,
S. 25° 43’ W., 1900 ft., to corner No. 2;
S. 57° 30’ W., 3000 ft. to corner No. 3;
S. 32° 30’ E., 830 ft., to corner No. 4;
N. 57° 30’ E., 4000 ft., to corner No. 5;
N. 25° 43’ E., 1650 ft., to corner No. 6;
N. 34° 17’ W., 550 ft., to corner No. 7;
S. 85° 38’ W., 871.6 ft., to corner No. 1, the place of beginning.
The tract as described contains 121.66 acres.
(metes and bounds description from: Specifications for Descriptions of Tracts of Land)

Examples of PLSS land descriptions:
Below is a drawing of Section 22 of a township, parts of which have been subdivided.  Each of the designated areas in the drawing can be described by a set of abbreviations connected together.  As shown below, SE¼NW¼ means “the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter.”

If the example Section 22 shown above happens to be in Township 31 North, Range 18 West in the Fourth Principle Meridian, the full description of the above NE¼NW¼SW¼ would be written as follows:

NE¼NW¼SW¼, sec 22, T. 31 N., R. 18 W., Fourth Principle Meridian.